LOOE KEY REEF, Florida Keys – The Florida Keys cranked up the volume this weekend. And the audience had fins!
Divers and snorkelers took the plunge and descended beneath the waves for the Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival. Ocean-themed favorites streamed through underwater speakers as dancing mermaids strummed guitars, plucked harps and sounded trumpets...all in the name of coral reef conservation.
Colorful tropical fish swam through the melodies, transforming Looe (Pronounced Loo) Key Reef, located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, into one of nature's most unforgettable concert stages.
But this celebration wasn't all about fun. It carried an important message. Between songs, divers heard reminders about protecting fragile coral reefs by respecting marine life, using mooring buoys, and practicing responsible diving and snorkeling.
Now in its 42nd year, the annual festival once again proved that music can and does do more than entertain. It inspires people to celebrate, appreciate and protect the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States.
Copyright 2026 WGCU
